DIGITAL FOR DEVELOPMENT (D4D)

Thus, Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation has strengthened its collaboration with the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity, signing a memorandum of understanding in July 2023.

The new project, formalised in 2023 and entitled “Information and Communication Technology Policy and Regulation – Institutional Strengthening (iPRIS)”, carried out by partners including the Luxembourg Institute of Regulation and Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation, together with the Swedish cooperation agency and the European Commission, is an example of using Luxembourg’s expertise in developing countries. iPRIS is a project that aims to improve meaningful, inclusive and sustainable connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa by strengthening the capacity of national regulatory institutes (NRIs) to implement strategic projects.

Furthermore, in 2023, Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation maintained its commitment within the European Commission’s Digital for Development Hub (D4D Hub), promoting the alignment of EU digital initiatives to increase their impact. This strategic multi-stakeholder platform promotes new international partnerships in the field of digital transformation between the EU and partner countries, particularly in Africa. The shared aim is a human-centric approach to digital training: facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships, sharing expertise and encouraging investments from various European and global partners. In this context, Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation is actively contributing to activities within the Africa branch as well as to the cyberspace working group, which Luxembourg co-chairs together with France and the European Commission.

In this context, Luxembourg has also continued its commitment within the African Union-European Union (AU-EU) D4D Hub. Implemented by five European development agencies, including LuxDev, and with EUR 8 million under European funding, this project aims to help bridge the digital divide, including the gender divide, and to use digital innovations to foster sustainable and inclusive development in Africa. The AU-EU D4D Hub also benefits Luxembourg Development Cooperation’s partner countries, including Cabo Verde.

In 2023 Luxembourg continued its commitment to the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE), which it joined in 2021. The purpose of this multi-stakeholder platform is to build capacity and expertise in cybersecurity, by facilitating international collaboration. The Forum has more than 115 members and partners, including governments, international organisations and other civil society and private-sector operators, as well as the academic community. Luxembourg also joined the EU CyberNet network in May 2023. EU CyberNet is establishing a network and a learning platform to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities globally. EU CyberNet also contributes to the development and implementation of EU policies toward partner countries in the area of cybersecurity.

Luxembourg Development Cooperation’s D4D projects focus on modernising public administrations, developing digital financial services, strengthening core competences and building capacity in cybersecurity. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) inaugurated its delegation for cyberspace in November 2022, and its work constitutes an important contribution in the field of cybersecurity.

Efforts to mainstream these areas in a cross-cutting manner in bilateral and multilateral programmes as well as in humanitarian action will continue beyond 2023.